Means and apparatus for extracting static electricity.



r J. H. MORGAN & C. W. HUNTLEY.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING STATIC ELECTRICITY.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1915.

1,275,585. Patented Aug. 13-, 1918.

F/GZ a f/G. 7 [/6 c5 F/G 4 F/G. 5 f/G 6 WITNESSES.- V INVENTORS MA 4 zfi MW M A? 7/wMA CQ WM flf w A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MORGAN AND CHARLES W. HUNTLEY, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING STATIC ELECTRICITY.

Specification of Letters latent. Patented 13, 1918.

Application filed February 25, 1915. Serial No. 10,463.

'jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Means and Apparatus forExtracting Static Electricity, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andletters ofv reference marked thereon.

It is a well known fact that in the manufacture or finishing andtreatment of paper as well as in handling it, such as in ruling,

calendering, printing, etc., the paper hecomes charged with staticelectricity, causing the surfaces and sheets to adhere and to curl, thusrendering it diflicult to handle the paper conveniently, whether it bein sheets or otherwise.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple and effective meansand mechanism by which static electricity may be easily andsatisfactorily removed from paper and other material, and we accomplishthe object of our invention by the means, method and mechanismshereinafter referred to.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention we show in the drawingsone embodiment thereof as applied to a paper ruling machine.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the delivery end of a ruling machine.

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the condenser.

Fig. 4: is a side view of a condenser plate.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 6 is a side view of a separator member and Figs. 7 and 8 side andedge views respectively of a spring brush.

In detail a indicates a condenser; 71, plates therein; 0 separator; d anelectric conductor leading to the condenser; e an electric conductorfrom the condenser to the ground; f brush stem supporting member; 9brush stems; h brushes; 6 a sheet of paper; and j delivery box of rulingmachine.

Describing now our invention as illustrated in the drawings and as oneembodiment of our invention as applied to a paper ruiing machine wearrange an electrical conductor in suitable supports 70 at the deliveryend of the ruling machine. The

rod f is preferably of copper and has pivotally mounted thereon thebrush stems 9, these being of suitable conducting material and being bypreference mounted on the rod 7 by having their ends carried around therod with suflicient tightness so that they will at all times be incontact, yet sulficiently loose to permit of their being rotated thereona trifle by the paper as it passes forwardly beneath the brushes k. 1

The brushes h are preferably arranged so that their edges almost contactwith each other and so that they will be in contact with the surface ofthe paper in its passage.

A condenser comprising a series of thin lead plates separated a shortdistance from each other and immersed in a liquid of low resistance inelectricalconnection with the static field and with the ground, servesto absorb all the objectionable static elec tricity 1n the paper orother material from which such electricity 'is being taken, the

same being ultimatelyconducted from the condenser'to the ground anddissipated.

We'prefer the condenser plates be shaped substantially as shown in Fig.4:, the upwardly projecting portions Z and m being provided withover-hanging lips 11. and 0 for convenience in supporting the plate inthe case. The plates are by preference about one-sixteenth of an inch inthickness and we prefer to keep them separated from each other by theemployment of a hard rubber separator similar to that illustrated inFig.

we prefer that they first be carefully cleansed of all grease andforeign matter and for this pur ose we find a bi'chlorate of potash bathefiective. We also clean the surfaces with sand-paper or a 'stifi brush.We prefer also to treat the negative plates with a bath or coating oflitharge, this being prepared by .mixing litharge with dilute sulfuricacid.

l with a grounded Wire.

To gtge the best resultsthe fluid in the case should substantially coverthe portion of the plates below the upright arms thereof.

The capacity of our condenser may e increased by increasing the numberof plates.

We find by practical tests that a con- 1 denser having eight positiveand nine negative plates has suliicient capacity to absorb and dissipatethe static electricity ordinarily generated in eight ruling machines.When a single condenser is employed with more than one ruling machine,we prefer that the conductors from the rod f be in electrical connectionwith a common conductor and that the conductor d) from the condenserextend to the central portion of this common rod or conductor andthatthe electrical conductors-from the separate machines run to the commonconductor and be connected therewith at opposite sides of the-point ofconnection of the conductor d with the common conductor.

It will readily be seen that our apparatus is adapted for. extractingstatic electricity from all material, providedthe gathering brushes bebrought in contact therewith, or so close thereto as to in fact bewithin the static electric field, so as to gather the static electricenergy from the material enabling it to be transferred or absorbedthrough suitable conductors to 'the condenser, and from thence to theground.- In the application ofour invention to printing press it simplybecomes necessary to arrangethe brushes so that they will be inelectrical contact with the paper as it passes from point to point, itbeing prefer able in'all instances to have this contact take place asthepaper passes outwardly in sheets to the point where it is desired thatit lay fiat without curling or adhesion met In the application of ourinventionto calendering machines as the sheets of paper are deliveredfrom the machine with great rapidity and force we find it very esirablethat the brushes be spring presse rather than to rely upon gravity as inthe case illustrated in the application to a ruling machine. As anexample of a simple spring pressed brush we illustrate in the drawingsin Figs. 7 and t? a brush su porting stem formed of spring material, t esupporting end being of course firmly supported by clamps or othersuitable means in such position that the brushes it Will at all times beheld in contact with the moving paper.

While the element or member herein referred to as a condenser may alsobe termed "vention, applicants: prefer to refer to the staticelectricity comprisirg suitable-gatherthese terms may be misleading andas this member operates in fact to absorb or draw from the material thestatic electricity and. is therefore an important element or mem beressential to the carr ing out of the insame as an absorbing member sothat it 76 is immaterial whether such member falls within the technicalor scientific definition of the term condenser, battery, accumulator orother'technical term, as applicants have discovered that a membercomprising plates immersed in a fluid of low resistance electricallyconnected as herein pointed out results in a means, method or "apparatuswhich causes the objectionable presence of static electricity to beremoved from material so charged.

It will readily be seen that very many modifications in detail ofarrangement may be'employed without departing from the spirit of ourinvention and we do not limit ourselves to any specific detail hereindescribed or referred to. c

Having therefore described our invention what we claim as new and desireto secure by Letters .Patent is 1. An apparatus for removing staticelectricity comgrising a collector positioned in the static eld, anabsorbing member consisting of positive and negative plates immersed ina fluid of low resistance and suitable conductors from the collector tothe absorbing element and from the latter 'to the ground.

2, The. method of extracting negative ing means in the static eld, aconductor therefrom to the positive side of an ab.- sorbing member, asuitable conductor from the negative side of the absorbing member to theground, positive and negative plates 11141 and a fluid of low resistancebetween the plates. p

3. An apparatus for removing the obyectionable presence of staticelectricity in material, comprising suitable collectors ar- 5 ranged inthe static field, an absorbing member comprising a suitable casehavingpositive and negative plates therein; suitable separating plates therebetween, a fluid of low resistance in contact with the plates andsuitable grounding means substantially as shown. 1

4. In an apparatus for removing static electricity an absorbing membercomprising a, suitableease, lead plates therein suitably separated, afluid of low resistance (consisting of dilute sulfuric acid of about1300 specific gravity) between the plates, in com bination withcollecting means positioned in the static field, a suitable conductorbetween the collector and the absorbing member and element and from theabsorbing element to between the latter and the ground. 7 the ground.

5. An apparatus for removing static electricity comprising a collectorpositioned in 5 the static field, an absorbing member consisting of aseries of lead plates immersed Witnesses: I v in a sulfuric acidsolution and suitable con- ALLEN WEBSTER, ductors from the collector tothe absorbing MAgGUERITE DELAND.

